The Many Types of Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation and feelings of interpersonal attraction develop in the adolescent stage, from the ages of 12 to 16. Most human beings are attracted to the opposite sex, with a smaller portion being attracted to the same sex or both sexes.

Whatever the case may be, interpersonal attraction is conditioned by biopsychosocial factors. This becomes evident when an emotion is so powerful that it makes us choose one person over another, even when the choice is poorly understood or not normative.

Sexual behavior is complex. Behavior isn’t the only factor that affects sexual orientation. Age, situations, fantasies, and affections also affect it. The APA, or American Psychological Association, states that any sexual conduct that doesn’t physically or spiritually harm the individual, his or her partner, or third parties, should be considered a sexual variant and therefore must be respected.

“With respect to the question of relationships, my general view is that freedom means freedom for everyone. People… ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to.”

-Dick Cheney

Types of sexual orientation

Sexual orientation refers to a pattern of sexual, emotional, or romantic attraction to a certain group of people defined by their sex. Four main groups make up sexual orientation.

People attracted to the opposite sex are heterosexual. Homosexuals are attracted to members of the same sex. Bisexuals are people who are attracted to both sexes. Finally, asexuals have no sexual orientation.

Although the main dichotomy of sexuality is still heterosexuality-homosexuality, heterogeneity in terms of sexual orientation is increasing and new terms are being created every day. Among these newer trends, we find those that are based on subjective phenomena, such as:

Pansexuality. Also referred to as omnisexuality, polysexuality, or trisexuality. This sexual orientation is characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to others regardless of their sex and gender. Therefore, pansexuals may be attracted to men, women, and also to those who don’t identify with either gender, including, for example, intersexuals, transsexuals, and intergenders.

Demisexuality. Demisexuality is characterized by the appearance of sexual attraction only in some cases, and only when a strong emotional or intimate bond has been established.

Lithsexuality. People with this type of sexual orientation experience attraction to others, but don’t feel the need for it to be reciprocated.

Many of these labels didn’t originate in the fields of psychology or biology, as the terms heterosexual and homosexual did. Instead, they appeared as part of a social movement in favor of equality. The goal of this movement was to vindicate and give visibility to the different ways of experiencing sexuality.

We didn’t include transsexual people in this section, because the sexual orientation of a transsexual person is independent of their gender orientation. For example, a man can identify as a woman and be a lesbian or heterosexual.

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”

–Dr. Seuss

Historical stages of sexual diversity

Sexuality is a social construct, so interpretations about the expressions of sexuality have varied with context and historical era. Thus, for example, the role played by religious and moral values has had a great influence on the construction of public opinion on different sexual orientations throughout history. Leading, in many cases, to stigmatization and even negation of the existence of different sexualities.

The fight for respect for sexual diversity is still a challenge today, one that varies by culture. The very concept of sexual diversity is an intense debate regarding the visibility of established identities and categories.

The detractors of homosexual relationships base their arguments on the questionable hypothesis that homosexuality is unnatural. In recent years, more and more biologists are objectively examining homosexual behavior in animals. Diversity in sexual orientation has been found in more than 450 animal species, but homophobia is only found in one. So which is more unnatural?

“I am gay. How and why I am are unnecessary questions. Like wanting to know why my eyes are green.”

Our breaks, our “parentheses” of loneliness, silence and sensory disconnection are like nutrients for our hearts and brains. It’s a way to restart and become aware of another type of deeper perception. The one that comes from within us and…

One of the most famous and incredible French writers, Anatole France, once said that “until one has loved an animal a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” Children and their pets are capable of creating a special bond that nothing and nobody…

The competitive society we’re living in causes us to feel a need to be liked by the people surrounding us, for survival, to get what we want and so as to not leave the boundaries of the “norm.” This need to…

The writer Garrison Keillor created a fictional city called “Lake Wobegon”. It’s a place where all women are strong, all men are good looking and all children are above average. It’s a picture of a cognitive bias called the Lake…

Love me as I am, free, sometimes messy, sassy, at times chaotic, imperfect, and always brilliant. Don’t ask me to be well-behaved, nor submissive, nor quiet. Do not try to change me. Let’s not dream about a fairy-tale love, but also…

Homework is a part of the daily routine for many children around the world. In most educational plans, it has been assumed that after a certain age, for an effective assimilation of knowledge, it is necessary to have the child…

Ambition is paradoxical. Some schools of thought condemn ambition, while others praise it. In fact, ambition is one of those traits that we aren’t sure whether to classify as a virtue or a flaw. That’s why we decided to talk about the…

Stress, like any other anxiety disorder, doesn’t discriminate between men and women, poor or rich, young or old. However, what we do know is that stress affects women and men differently. The emotional responses are different, as well as the physical,…

Just like Alexander Pope once said, “To err is human; to forgive, divine”. However, we live in a time of apparent perfection. In this day and age, many people don’t like to admit their mistakes. In addition, politicians don’t take responsibility for their…

We all need a good dosage of self-love to know how to value ourselves and have a good self-esteem. However, narcissistic people look very confident in themselves when, deep down, they feel extremely insecure. In this article, we’ll be exposing…

The content in this publication is presented for informative purposes only. In no sense is this information intended to provide diagnoses or act as a substitute for the work of a qualified professional. For this we recommend that you contact a reliable specialist.

The content in this publication is presented for informative purposes only. In no sense is this information intended to provide diagnoses or act as a substitute for the work of a qualified professional. For this we recommend that you contact a reliable specialist.